RCMP Insp. Warren Brown doesn’t include all types of assaults in the detachment’s crime statistics relayed to city council, but notes assaults in Williams Lake are definitely a problem.
Williams Lake is continually number one in the province for assaults, he says, adding it’s a bit of a “slippery slope” because then he has to break statistics down to how much of them involve youth, how much adults, and how much gangs.
Gang initiation starts in the low teens and RCMP are aware of 12-year olds getting involved.
“What’s really disturbing is we get a lot of our information from Facebook. When we type in a known gang person we actually see pictures of fathers holding their what appears to be two-year-old kids donning gang paraphernalia,” explains Brown. Some of the clothing includes bandanas and shirts with disturbing sayings on them.
He says anyone that’s proficient with Facebook would be able to locate the images.
Recruitment is 12 years and up into early 20s.
Compared to other communities, Brown says the Williams Lake scene is not a co-ordinated effort for financial benefit, such as seen on television, but groups that are “very disorganized” youth, who by opportunity or chance become involved in violence.
“There is some influence toward drugs, but it’s more of a culture of association by community,” Brown says.
Boredom can also be a driver and often members come together for ill purposes.
Brown says the spike in gang activity is seasonal, with the most repercussions occurring in late spring and summer.
“I think it’s something where the leadership in our communities is strong enough, I think where they can have influence and impact on that still. For that reason if we were to work with our communities we would be better able to control that and work toward positive programs,” he says, adding the RCMP are presently working with community groups to tackle the issue.